Improvement in processes of treating



. H. HLEDGERTDIL- I Process of Treating Hydrocarbons for Making Gas.

No] 159,655, I Patented Feb.9,l875.

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.NITED STATES PATENT Grrron.

HENRY H. EDGERTON, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PROCESSES 0F TREATINGHYDROCARBONS FOR MAKING GAS.

7 Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 159,655, datedFebruary 9, 1875; application filed January 14, 1875.

' Hydrocarbons, of which the following is a specification Havingdiscovered that in the making of illuminating-gas from certain materialsthey require to undergo a previous preparation in order to be usedeconomically, I proceed to give the reasons for and the manner ofpreparing such materials. My discovery is based on the fact thatdifierent amount and intensity of heat is required to decomposedifferent hydrocarbons into gas, and that always equal amounts arerequired for hydrocarbons precisely identical in composition. (Whenspeakin g of gas I mean illuminating-gas of greatest value obtainablefrom a given hydrocarbon.) The above may be called an axiom, though I amnot aware of its having been before distinctly enunciated. If, then,precisely identical hydrocarbons require exactly equal heats todecompose them into best illuminating-gas, it is plainly to be seen thatsuch identical hydrocarbons should be presented in the retort at thesame time, and difiering hydrocarbons must be presented at differenttimes. The effect of presenting hydrocarbons differing in constitutionat the same time in a retort is to convert part. of them into bestilluminatinggas, other portions are converted into non-illuminatinggases, and still another portion passes through as vapor of sufficientcondensibility to be lost in the pipes, or become an impurity in theresulting gases, causing them to smoke. The question is, then, how topresent hydrocarbons of the same constitution in the retort at the sametime? The separation of hydrocarbons by fractional distillationpresents, in my opinion, the only practicable method of aecom plishin gthis result. It relies on the fact that identical hydrocarbons haveidentical boiling-points. Take, for instance,

the petroleum series of hydrocarbons, commencing with marsh-gas, G H andincreasing by 02112, thus: G4H -G HgO H10O1 H12- O, H -O H1s, andincreasing upward. It has been observed that the boiling-point increasesdensity, which would require 1,440

in the same direction. The boiling-point of G H is not known. 0 H can beliquefied. When we arrive at 0 11 more than the ordinary temperature ofthe air is required to vaporize, and consequently it is always liquid.Each, then, has its boiling-point, and boiling, therefore, affords thereadiest means of separation.

When separated and brought into a retort heated to redness they areresolved into gases; and the decomposition into best illuminatinggasesmay be stated and illustrated as follows: I

The resulting gases must contain little or no free hydrogen, and nocarbon must be formed in the retort. 0 11 will decompose as follows, ifproperly carried out: G H +O Fl 0 H. or entirely olefiant gas'andmarsh-gas. In practical operations on a large scale such favorableresults are not obtainable, but a very close approximation isattainable.

I may here state that I consider the action of heat in decomposingvapors into light gases to be as follows: The particles of carbon andhydrogen are expanded so far apart that the atoms group themselves intopositions as sumed in other compounds. For instance, a hydrocarbon vaporof 3,000 density, air 1,000, is expanded by heat until it becomes 1,000

The atoms take the relations of compounds of that density, and remain soexpanded. However the transformation occurs the fact remains that inpresenting hydrocarbons, as above described, very desirable andeconomical results are obtained.

Now, I am aware of the fact that many inventors have proposed to firstvaporize hydrocarbons in a separate vessel, and then conduct the vaporsto a retort; but a careful insection of their plans and methods showthat they themselves were unaware of this necessity of presenting themin the order of their boilingpoints. The fundamental idea was to securea more prolonged and perfect contact with the heated surface, which, inmy opinion, is undesirable. The desired expansion must be obtained withthe shortest possible exposure.

The carrying out of the Gale process, by

Band, in'1870, led to the demonstration of these facts. Rand filled astill with a petroleum distillate, and presented the vapors within aretort as they came over. This process has achieved a great practicalsuccess. However, in many cases it is far preferable to feed thematerial in liquid form directly into the retort, and still attain asgood results; and this I propose to do in the following manner,illustrated by the diagram in the accompanying drawing:

S represents a still; T, a thermometer; O, a condenser; W, thecondenser-coil or worm; P P P, &c., pipes, leading to various tanks. Acharge of mixed hydrocarbons is introduced into the still. Heat isapplied, and the vapors coming off are condensed in the coil W, arrivingin the pipes P P P nearly in the order of their boiling-points. Let thefirst distillate run into a tank, No.1; after a certain increase oftemperature, shown in thermometer T, let the product into tank 2, bysuitable valves, and so on until all that is valuable for gas purposesis distilled and separated. This process can be carried on in the oilregions and refineries, the tanks being marked to indicate the qualityof material.

Petroleum is now separated primarily for kerosene oil and forlubricating-oil. The first or lighter product is considered a wasteproduct of little value, and is now sold, first, for gasoline-machines;the balance is sold with difficulty. None of these separations are forgas material, in fact are not suitable at all in the two heavier grades,unless treated by the Gale and Band process.

By my invention, as above explained, I separate the crude material intoliquid hydrocarbon subdivisions, the constituents of each subdivisionhaving substantially identical decomposing-points, the result of thisseparation for gas-producing purposes being that I obtain perfect actionin the retort without presenting the material to the retort in vaporform.

Under my invention the separation can be effected at the refineries,which results 1n greater economy, and is of value for many otherreasons, the most important being that i the gas-maker can select hismaterial, and order it with a View to his particular use andcircumstances. For instance, in existing coalgas Works, when it isdesired to furnish half coal-gas and half petroleum or oil gas, amaterial of a certain density can be used with greatest economy, whereasif all oil-gas is to be used a lighter material is desirable. Inpractice petroleum would be divided into about ten products forgas-making purposes. The lighter materials require fewer subdivisions;the denser more numerous to Work with economy.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, IS

For use in the process of manufacturing illuminating-gas fromgas-producing hydrocarbons by presenting hydrocarbons of the sameconsitution in the retort at the same time, as described, the method ofpreparing said hydrocarbons, by separating the same into liquidsubdivisions whose respective constituents have substantially identicaldecomposing points, as set forth, whereby any one of said subdivisionsis available in liquid form for gas-making purposes, independently ofthe others.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 19th day ofDecember, A. D. 1874.

HENRY H. EDGERTON.

Witnesses:

EWELL A. DICK, HENRY R. ELLIOTT.

